Fitness Blogger’s Post-Baby Selfie “4 Days After Birth”

After giving birth to daughter Neilia last Monday morning, fitness blogger Caroline Berg Eriksen took to Instagram just days after to show off her svelte post-baby body.

“I feel so empty, and still not 4 days after birth,” the new mom - who is married to Footballer Lars-Kristian Eriksen – captioned the image.

Yes, 4 days postpartum!

During that first week, most new moms are knee-deep in sleep deprivation, breastfeeding, postpartum hormones and trying to figure it all out. But this Norwegian mom slipped into lingerie to take the above selfie of her toned tummy and slim frame.

While many have attacked the new mom and accused her of fat shaming, several have shown their support, telling her to “be proud” and “rock it.”

The new mom responded to the online critics.

“I let out the picture because I’m proud of myself and my body for something as tough as a pregnancy / birth, and I think all mothers, regardless of the body shall be,” she said.

Don’t get me wrong, if I looked like that just 4 days after giving birth, I would take a picture too! But do you know what I would not do? I would not share this image with friends, let alone publish on social media.

As a mother-of-three, I am keenly aware of the raging postpartum hormones after welcoming a baby. While there is often joy in the newborn phase, there is almost always some form of the blues, or even postpartum depression.

And I would not want to encourage this image as a normal or realistic goal during the postpartum period. Again, I would keep that photo to myself, knowing that it would not be supportive or helpful to my sisters in any way.

I truly feel nothing good can come of an image like this. Already having gone viral, I am sure this unrealistic image of new motherhood has negatively affected many women, making them feel shame during the postpartum period — a precious moment in time that should be focussed on baby, not body image.

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While I can see both sides of what would be a “tippy-toe” topic, here is my two bits anyway. In a time in our world when people are outraged at Lululemon for insensitivity, (first world problems, huh?!) I understand why one would think this picture is not good for anyone. It is unrealistic and unusual. She probably looked like this before pregnancy began. Jealousy, envy, postpartum or not, she looks great. The joy this woman is experiencing knowing that her body just delivered a child and now is that close to what it was before she was pregnant is why she took the “postpartum selfie”. I don’t expect everyone to put themselves in her shoes and be as happy for her as she is, but the hate and judgement for her doing it is completely unacceptable. FYI, I am a male, I have a wife and 2 small children.

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@Bobby I definitely agree with you. I am very annoyed at the words the writer used to basically scold Caroline Eriksen for sharing a picture of her post preg body. Words and phrases such as “unrealistic image” and “..nothing good can come from an image like this.” Basically she’s being accused of fat shaming other new moms while this writer and others are shaming her for being proud of her thin body and slimming down so quickly. Its ridiculous that we live in a society where a thin woman cant be proud of her body and show it on social media for fear of shaming a less thin woman to feel bad about her body. Why must thin women tip toe around fat or “average-sized” women? There is nothing wrong with her being proud of her post baby bod and flaunting it. it’s her right to do so and this is from a new mom of a 4 week old newborn who does not look like Mrs. Eriksen. Being thin is not “unrealistic” because there are women who happen to be naturally thin and it’s not the responsibility of thin women to boost the self esteem of not so thin women by being made to feel like their thin body is unrealistic. That’s just nonsense. I’m glad she did what she did. She has every right to be proud of her body and to flaunt it if she so chooses. She has nothing to apologize for. Those women who are offended should stop being jealous and insecure and if they really don’t like their own bodies, they are welcomed to make changes towards a better body. Plain and simple.

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